title: New antibody drug treatments for lymphoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The advent of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) rituximab heralded a new era in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma leading to significant improvements in outcome for patients. This unprecedented success has changed the mindset of the clinical community and catalyzed the interest in the pharmaceutical industry to develop the next-generation of antibodies and antibody conjugates in cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  There are an ever increasing number of newer generation anti-CD20 and rituximab 'bio-similars' undergoing early phase clinical development. In addition emerging novel therapies including antibody drug conjugates (brentuximab vedotin, SGN-35) and mAb against T-cell lymphomas antigens (e.g., zanolimumab) offer hope of improved outcome for other lymphomas. Bispecific T-cell-engaging antibodies and combination immunotherapy, also provide the promise of further improvements. Radiolabelled antibodies or radioimmunotherapy (RIT) has also demonstrated high clinical activity and two drugs namely 131I-tositumomab (Bexxar) and 90Y-ibritumomab (Zevalin) are licensed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the large numbers of new anti-CD20 mAb currently undergoing clinical testing, improving on clinical efficacy of rituximab is a substantial challenge. Further improvements in outcome for patients will require rigorous testing in well designed clinical trials alongside the translation of new insights into mechanism of mAb action that lead to improvements in clinical efficacy.
authors.affiliation: University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, School of Cancer and Enabling Sciences, School of Medicine, Manchester, M20 4BX, UK.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mayes
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Tim M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Illidge
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents